


Like a Box of Fluffy Ducks

by HerbertBest



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Animals, Crushes, Developing Relationship, Ducks, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Humor, Wildlife Release, cheek kiss, implied polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-30 19:59:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13958901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HerbertBest/pseuds/HerbertBest
Summary: Holly's wildlife rehabbing friend leaves her in a lurch - a quacking, duck-shaped lurch.Thankfully, Dan is there to help her out.





	Like a Box of Fluffy Ducks

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Nate's fluff fic Discord contest!

She didn’t notice Dan was staring at her funny until she sat down at one of the dining tables. Holly got two bites down of her veggie burger before he crossed the kitchen, took a breath and adjusted his glasses before saying, “Holly, your box is quacking.”

“I know it’s quacking. I only brought them in to work for just a second. I needed to eat something and Ross had what was left of my Quorn burgers last night.” She pulled aside the blanket covering what she’d been carrying. Dan’s eyes went wide and his hand flew to his mouth and let out a long, high-pitched squeal. 

“Oh, I instantaneously love them!”

“Don’t be too loud,” she said, over the sound of ten little ducklings merrily quacking along. “You’ll scare them.” She put her burger down, cleaned her hands, and then very carefully dipped it inside, pulling out a plump, actively peddling duck. It quacked and kept quacking, its little wings flapping happily along, fuzzy feathered belly warm in her grip.

“Where did you get them?” Dan asked quietly. “Are you going to add them to the loft?”

She shook her head. “My friend Susan – the bird rehabber from San Bernadino, remember her?” he nodded. “She was going to release these little guys herself with their mom, but she got called home from her lunch date. One of her kids has the flu, and she couldn’t stick around long enough to get to a park to let them go. So as soon as I’m done eating, I’m gonna take them all to that kid's park a couple of miles away and let them go into the pond together.”

“Where’s their mom?”

“In Ross’ office. He wanted to put her on his livestream,” she said wryly. “Don’t tell Arin, but it’s been a mini aviary all morning.”

“Cross my heart,” Dan said solemnly. “May I please hold one of them now?”

He held out his cupped hands and Holly gently placed the duckling in his grip. His big eyes went impossibly wider. “Oh,” he cooed. “Hello, little friend!” The duckling – as most animals did – nestled happily into his grip, blinking slowly.

Holly watched him silently, her heart filled with joy. There was something about him. She couldn’t articulate it aloud, but it was something so unique and fragile she couldn’t put it into words.

 

 

*** 

 

He insisted on coming with her to release the ducks, of course. Kneeling beside her, they lifted the box’s side flap and let the mom and ducklings out into the warm sunshine. They peddled away, quacking all the while, rushing eagerly into a pond already dotted with swans and other duck families.

“Go ahead, little guys!” he said, watching them awkwardly waddle away. Then, with a little glimmer in his eyes, “have a good life!”

That was why Holly did it. Why she got on her toes and pecked his cheek, pressed her lips to his freshly-shaved skin.

And when Dan pulled back, his big palm cupped where she’d kissed, skin turning a pale pink, beaming and proud.


End file.
